1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally involves the field of technology pertaining to an anesthetic patch, principally used for babies and small children, but which may be used by others, wherein the device is essentially a common everyday sold over-the-counter preferably round Band-Aid.RTM. (trademark) containing a topical anesthetic. The device is placed on a persons skin at a site where a needle is to be inserted such that the area will have a topical anesthetic applied or anesthetic effect. Obviously, the device is applied to the skin in advance of the needle insertion. It should be emphasized that both the Band-Aid.RTM. or any other type of bandage material as well as the anesthetic agents are well known and are presently approved for over-the-counter sale.
It should be obvious that the anesthetic carrying material may be something other than a Band-Aid.RTM. or bandage but can be of other material that will not only carry the anesthetic but will also adhere to a persons skin.
For purposes of further discussing this device the Band-Aid.RTM. or bandage or skin contacting anesthetic carrying material will be referred to as an adhesive patch. It is this adhesive patch that will carry any type of topical anesthetic that will prove satisfactory for this purpose and will also carry a dye material on that side of the adhesive patch that coacts with the skin. When the adhesive patch is removed, prior to a needle being inserted, it will therefore leave a visible delineation of a "target" area which may be of any geometric shape, although preferably circular, and of any color, preferably red, which clearly marks the spot where a needle etc. is to be inserted.
This adhesive patch further comprises a pad of absorbent material, such as but not limited to cotton, which contains both active and inactive ingredients. That portion of the absorbent pad to be placed over the site to be injected or punctured will be somewhat smaller in size than the overall size of the adhesive patch.
It is anticipated that the active ingredient indicated above will be benzocaine and the inactive ingredient indicated above will be glycerin or water or any other benign vehicle. These can be in varying proportions depending upon the age of the recipient.
Any well known dye such as red food dye may be used on the skin side of the adhesive patch to mark the spot to be penetrated. It should also be obvious that the active and inactive ingredients can be other then benzocaine and glycerin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A search of the prior art has uncovered the following patents:U.S. Patent to E. Blank, 1,682,657; Patel, 4,162,673; Barrett, 4,243,035; Haber, 4,799,926; Grinwald, 5,003,987; Stalcup, et al, 5,112,297; Atef, 5,833,649; and Steinhardt, et al, 5,902,669.
The patent to Blank, 1,682,657 is of little interest in that in essence it is really not much more than a brush or any other type applicator and does not comprise an adhesive patch having absorbent cotton and dye.
The patent to Patel, 4,162,673 is simply a method of testing the position of a needle assembly in the epidural space of a patients body.
Of some general interest is the Patent to Barrett 4,243,035 which is an integral hypodermic syringe and antiseptic dispenser. This would be likened to a pencil having lead at one end and an eraser at the other. This invention is clearly not an adhesive patch soaked with anesthesia and dye which delineates a target area.
Not unlike the Barrett patent discussed above is the patent to Haber 4,799,926 which in fact cites the Barrett patent. These two patents are seen as being quite similar to each other. This patent is probably even closer to the analogy of a pencil having lead at one end, an eraser at the other, especially as seen in FIG. 3. In this patent the swab 10 is located at and moved around the targeted tissue area 20 of the patient so that an adequate amount of medication will be applied from the swab to the target site. It is after that procedure that the needle is exposed for administering an injection at the target site.
The Grinwald patent, 5,003,987 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCED DRUG PERMEATION OF SKIN" requires removal of the outermost layers of the skin by "gentle abrasion" and then measuring the change in the electrical resistance or impedance of the skin as the outmost layers of the skin are removed.
Collectively, the patents to Stalcup, et al, 5,112,297; Atef, 5,833,649; and, Steinhardt, et al, 5,902,669 are of general interest only and fail to disclose the invention described herein.